Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1994
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEffects of intrathecal clonidine on duration of bupivacaine spinal anaesthesia, haemodynamics, and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy.
Clonidine, an alpha-2-adrenergic agonist, may have a clinically relevant analgesic action but also a hypotensive action, when administered spinally. In this study, therefore, the analgesic and circulatory effects of intrathecal clonidine were studied in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy under spinal anaesthesia. Forty ASA I-II patients were randomly divided to two groups. ⋯ More patients in the clonidine group were sedated 3-6 h after the injection (P < 0.05). Addition of clonidine prolonged the bupivacaine spinal block. However, marked haemodynamic changes and sedation may limit the usefulness of intrathecal clonidine.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1994
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparison of propofol/alfentanil anaesthesia with isoflurane/N2O/fentanyl anaesthesia for renal transplantation.
Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) with propofol and alfentanil was compared with balanced anaesthesia (BA) in 30 uraemic patients undergoing renal transplantation. TIVA (n = 15) was induced with propofol and alfentanil and maintained with propofol and alfentanil infusions, which were started immediately after induction. Thereafter the infusion rates were adjusted as needed. ⋯ Also, significantly more vecuronium was needed during TIVA than during BA (P < 0.05). The recovery parameters were similar in both groups, except for the occurrence of nausea, which was less after TIVA. In conclusion, TIVA had no clinical advantages over BA.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1994
The potential of an anaesthesiologist-manned ambulance service in a rural/urban district.
The use of anaesthesiologists in prehospital emergency care is controversial. We wanted to assess the impact of an anaesthesiologist and a short time interval from acceptance of a mission to take-off at survival rates in a rural/urban emergency medical service. Prospectively registered data for 991 consecutive patients through a 12-month period were retrospectively evaluated by an independent foreign expert. ⋯ Survival from hospital admission to discharge was 44%. All patients were discharged to their own homes, able to live a fully functional life. The consistent use of anaesthesiologists compared to less qualified personnel and the maintaining of response times below presently required minima doubles the potential for lives saved in services comparable to the one studied.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1994
Decreased incidence of headache after accidental dural puncture in caesarean delivery patients receiving continuous postoperative intrathecal analgesia.
To examine the effects of prolonged (> 24 h) intrathecal catheterization with the use of postoperative analgesia on the incidence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), charts of 45 obstetric patients who had accidental dural puncture following attempts at epidural block were reviewed retrospectively. Three groups were identified: Group I (n = 15) patients had a dural puncture on the first attempt at epidural block, but successful epidural block on a repeated attempt; Group II (n = 17) patients had a dural puncture with immediate conversion to continuous spinal anaesthesia with catheterization lasting only for the duration of caesarean delivery; Group III (n = 13) patients had an immediate conversion to spinal anaesthesia and received post-caesarean section continuous intrathecal patient-controlled analgesia consisting of fentanyl 5 micrograms.ml-1 with bupivacaine 0.25 mg.ml-1 and epinephrine 2 micrograms.ml-1 with catheterization lasting > 24 h. No parturient in group III developed a PDPH. ⋯ Similarly, there was no difference between group I and II with regard to requests for a blood patch. Patients receiving continuous intrathecal analgesia had excellent pain relief, could easily ambulate and none complained of pruritus, nausea, vomiting, sensory loss or weakness. In conclusion, indwelling spinal catheterization > 24 h with continuous intrathecal analgesia following accidental dural puncture in parturients may for some patients be a suitable method for providing PDPH prophylaxis and postoperative analgesia.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1994
Spinal anaesthesia with 29 gauge Quincke point needles and post dural puncture headache in 2,378 patients.
Two thousand three hundred and seventy-eight spinal anaesthetics using a 29 G Quincke point needle were administered in a District Hospital between May 1983 and December 1991. The overall post dural puncture headache rate (PDPH) was 1.2% with a maximum of 2.5% in patients between age 30 and 39. PDPH was related to the experience of using 29 G needles (0.5% in consultants versus 2.0% in trainees, P < 0.05).